Narration/Use of Voice Listening Assignments from Paula and Margaret

Narration/Use of Voice

Assigned Listening:

Laurence Grissel “WirelessNights: Overnight Delivery”

This piece is a combination of fiction and nonfiction. Grissel narrates a plane ride and flashes to scenes back down below him.

Snap Judgment: Tonguesin Training (click on #4 Tongues in Training)

This is a short personal narrative describing the experience of church from a young boys perspective. This piece uses music and narration to create a rhythm.

Joe Frank “Odd Jobs” (click on Odd Jobs)

This is a (we are assuming) fictional tale of one man’s experience working in a slaughterhouse and a nuclear plant. He uses metaphor and music to create a very specific mood.

“There’sa Message in Your Voice”

This is a short article about the technicalities of using voice in an expressive way. If you are interested in this we highly recommend Marilyn Pittman’s Third Coast Festival conference session: Talk the Copy (link under For More).

Things to think about:

Compare the use of music in “Tongues in Training” and “Odd Jobs.” Does accomplish the same thing? Do you think that one is more effective than the other?

Compare the style of narration in “Tongues in Training” and “Odd Jobs.” How are they similar and how are they different?

How does narration in “Wireless Nights” differ from the other narration we’ve heard? Do you think it is successful?  How does Laurence Grissell connect his narration to other sounds and recordings?

When do you think it is appropriate to use an interview (Wireless Nights) and when is it appropriate to narrate the dialogue of another character yourself (Tongues in Training)? How have you addressed this problem in your own work and did you think it was effective?

For more:

Joseph Keckler, Cat Lady

Scott Carrier, New Shoes (or anything by Scott Carrier)

Scott Carrier essay (linked on ctools under Readings: That Jackie Kennedy Moment)

Alex Chadwick, writing for radio (to be posted on the IPP blog)

Nancy Updike, Third Coast Festival conference session: Die, Mediocrity, Die

A workshop on how to write for the ear and different techniques for writing in and out of tape. Has lots of good and different examples.

Marilyn Pittman, Third Coast Festival conference session: Talk the Copy

This workshop is about how to make the most of your voice. How to sound natural and how to make your voice sound as good as possible. A more in-depth version of "There's a Message in Your Voice".

Meredith Monk “Book of Days”